First published December 22, 2011. Last updated May 7, 2025 for editorial improvements.
Table of Contents
🎥 Watch and cook: step-by-step video tutorial
In this video, I’ll show you exactly how to make a fruitcake that people actually want to eat (and maybe even fight over at Christmas). Spoiler: no hockey pucks here.
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Sweet and chewy, this fruitcake is more like candy than a cake.
- This is a staple for the holidays at our house - I can't imagine Christmas without it.
- If you watch the video you'll see that putting the pecans in a food processor just doesn't work well. Coarsely chop them for the best results.
📖 Recipe
Old Fashioned Fruitcake Recipe
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 pound pecans
- 1 pound dates, pitted and chopped
- ½ pound candied cherries, (red and geen)
- ½ pound candied pineapple, (red and green or yellow)
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or 1 tablespoon rum, bourbon, or brandy
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250° degrees (that is not a typo-TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY degrees)
- Place a pan ⅓ filled with boiling water in the oven to create steam. Put it on the rack under the rack where the fruitcake pans will got.
- Fill the pan with hot water as needed during baking.
- Spray two 9-inch loaf pans with cooking spray and line with wax paper or parchment paper.
- Spray wax paper with cooking spray.
- Chop dates and nuts.
- Add them to a large bowl.
- Sift dry ingredients over fruit and nuts and mix in with your hands.
- Beat eggs until light, add vanilla and pour over fruit, mixing well. (you will probably need to mix with your hands - it's messy.)
- Spoon fruit cake batter into prepared pans, pressing down gently to remove large air bubbles and spaces.
- Place the filled loaf pans onto the rack above the pan with hot water.
- Bake at 250 for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
- Let cool.
Notes
- To store: let the cake cool and remove it from the pan. Leave the waxed paper on it and then wrap it in plastic wrap, then foil. Store in a cool dark place.
- This fruit cake ships well. Just wrap it in waxed paper, then in aluminum foil.
- No need to let fruitcake age. It's delicious the same day it's baked.
- Don't use the "mixed candied fruit". It isn't moist enough and your cake will be dry and tasteless.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
🧾 Ingredients notes
The one thing that always amazes me about this old-fashioned fruitcake recipe is that there is almost nothing holding all of that sweet, sticky fruit together. Make sure you DO NOT buy fruitcake mix - you want to get each type of fruit called for individually.
- Candied Pineapple chunks are called for but sometimes I haven't been able to find it and used the rings instead. Just cut them in chunks. Red and green are the most festive if you can find them.
- Candied cherries are usually pretty easy to find. If you can use part red ones and part green ones it's prettier.
🔪 How to make this fruitcake recipe
Mix chopped pecans, dates, and candied fruit.
Add in sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
Whisk eggs and vanilla together. Mix into the fruit mixture.
Press into parchment lined loaf pans and bake according to instructions in the recipe card below.
Marye's Tips
Don't use the "mixed candied fruit". It isn't moist enough and your cake will be dry and tasteless.
The pan of water on the rack beneath the fruit cake in the oven is important. Don't skip it!
🥫 Leftover love: how to store fruitcake
Wrap fruitcake in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for several weeks. Refrigerate or freeze for longer storage.
🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up -
Showing my decadent side here - During the holidays one of my favorite breakfast treats is a slice of fruit cake smeared with cream cheese. Heaven!
zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive
⏲️ Marye's time saving hacks -
Fruit cake is usually even better a day or two after it's made, and it will last several weeks, so I like to make it before the chaos of the holidays really gets going.
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- Gingerbread House Party is so much fun for the kids! I've been doing it since the early 1980s. You make easy houses out of graham crackers and let them decorate with all kinds of candy. SO much fun.
- 50 Best Red Velvet Recipes because what's Christmas without red velvet? Seriously!!
- 91 Best Christmas Cookies means that not only do you have plenty to choose from but your holiday cookie tray are going to be amazing!
This is the exact holiday cake my mom made. I have no idea where she got the original recipe but I do know that everyone who's tried it loves it!
I can't imagine a Christmas dinner without it, her date nut bread, and a batch of her homemade fudge.
If you're a fruitcake lover, or you know someone who is, give this recipe a try.
Don't lose this recipe!
Pin to your favorite Pinterest board to keep it handy.
Gryphonisle says
This is a great recipe on several levels. It’s highly adaptable. I cut out the maraschino cherries and cut back on the dates and added more dried fruit; I think I’d cut back on the nuts also, by 1/4th, next time. The eggs and flour serve as the most basic of adhesives, holding the nuts and fruit together such that a slice is just that, nuts and fruit. It’s great right out of the oven without any rum or whatever. You could take the recipe and tweak it until it fits the flavor profile and look you want. Nic!
Garry Marshall says
This is an amazing recipe! Last year I found out that my Father-in-Law in the UK was buying a cake just like this from Texas every Christmas. We were flying over just before that so I made this recipe and he loved it! It is now June and we are going over again on Thursday, so I have one in the oven right now for him. I bake the full recipe in a 9" springform tin with a whisky glass in the middle. The hole makes for easy slicing and an even bake.
Karen says
I made this fruit cake today. I am so pleased with the recipe. So easy to make. I used the already prepared fruit which cut time in preparation. No more store bought cake for me. Thank you.
Peggy morgan says
Can I use packaged chopped date or will it be to dry?
Marye says
You can! It makes it so much easier when they are prechopped!
Ryann says
How long can this be stored? Can it be frozen? Thank you!
Marye says
It's good for at least a month (I've mailed it to kids in the military in faraway places) - but it never lasts more than a few days here. I've never tried to freeze it.
Susan says
I’ve made a lot of fruitcakes, but this recipe sounded really good. But, it’s amazing!!!! I used a 6” round pan with a metal shot glass in the middle for a real fruitcake look, and 8 large muffin tin ones. They turned out beautiful and this is the best tasting fruitcake I’ve ever had!
Anne says
Can this be baked in a tube pan?
Marye says
I imagine it could. I've never done it that way so don't know the changed that would need to be made.
Paulette Roslyn says
I want to try the cake. I am surprised that there is not any butter in it. Is that correct?
Marye says
that is correct.
Debra says
This was so easy to make! I used my danish dough whisk and had zero difficulties stirring it all together (I was a little concerned when I read it was suggested I use my hands to mix 😂). I also lined my loaf pans with non stick aluminum foil instead of wax paper. This worked but next time I think I will also grease the foil. Due to the candylike consistency it is difficult to tell if it is “done.” I think next time, (for my oven) I will cook it an additional ten minutes. AGAIN, it is an easy recipe and the finished product is great!
Kay Hop says
I really hate dates. A great of mine substituted more cherries and pineapple for them. Would that work in this recipe or are the dates critical?
Marye says
Hi Kay, I've honestly never made it without the dates. I don't know what would happen.
Cat Funkhouser says
This year’s candied fruit was hard to come by in my area so I candied my own fruit (beginner project) and I wasn’t sure if it was going to be usable. Never making fruitcake, but lots of time on my hands made me give it a try. DELICIOUS! I made plenty of fruit so I had enough for 4 loaves. Thank you for sharing your family recipe. This will now be a tradition in my house.
Ellen says
How did you make your candied fruit?
I had trouble finding candied fruit as well.
Marye says
I havent made it in the longest time. Check youtube - I bet there's a video on how to do it.
Jill says
I really wanted this to be 5 stars! I LOVE that it requires no alcohol. I will say it looks beautiful when it’s done but it is basically a fruit and nut bar. There’s no cake whatsoever in it. So I couldn’t call it a fruitcake at all it’s just nuts and fruit stuck together. But it is a sticky tasty treat but I would never throw in in the fruitcake category. I probably won’t make it again, but I also won’t throw it away:)
Patricia Carter says
In your paragraph you mention butter but I do not see this in the ingredients. Am I missing something?
Marye says
I was explaining why many fruitcakes are crumbly. In this fruitcake there is no butter because of the low batter ratio. I've changed the paragraph to make it easier to understand.
Joleen says
This is so close to what I used to buy in the store for $10 a load! I made it in 6 mini load pans. The only thing that would be better in my opinion is to add another 8 oz candied cherries. It is very nut heavy (I personally love, but my family doesn’t). Glad I found this recipe!!
CK says
Hey Marye, how often should I be adding boiling water while it’s baking? Thanks!
Marye says
Just don't let it go dry. 🙂
Kimbra says
Wanted to double check on the amount of candied cherries, 1/2lb total or 1/2lb of each color (red & green)? Thank you so much.
Marye says
1/2 pound mixed red and green or 1/4 pound each.
Barbara Cherwin says
What size loaf pans, 9x5 or 8x4?
I want to make just one full 9x5, but if this recipe is for two 8x4 loaves, halving the recipe will not yield enough batter.
As long as I know, I can adjust accordingly. Thank you!
Marye says
Hi Barbara - I use 9x5 pans. 🙂
Janet says
Too late for me, all I have is the mixed fruit. So I can’t make it. No one wants dry fruit cake!!!
Marye says
What if you mixed some white chocolate chips in with it? That might help it be more moist?
Kim says
I would still make it if I were you - and you could try sprinkling some liquid (rum, brandy would be best) over the fruit the day before - it will absorb the liquid.
Sharon E Williams says
This recipe looks sooo yummy! I am sure once I make it I will give it a 5! I have a question first before the baking can begin though. I am gluten free for health reasons and am wondering if you would mind if I switched out the all purpose flour for a Cup4Cup gluten free flour? Thanks!
Sharon
Marye says
Sharon i've never done that but it's sure worth a try.
Wendy says
Oops...sorry forgot to rate it. FIVE STARS all the way!
Wendy says
I Love your recipe as does everyone that has received one from me. It is the BEST! Question for you, please and thank you! The only dates that I can find already chopped are coated with dextrose they say to help in the tumbling system/machine. Is that what you use? I have been purchasing them whole but they are a sticky mess to dice. Thank you!
Marye says
Aww thanks Wendy. Sometimes I buy them diced because that IS easier. When I use whole ones I dust them with flour or confectioner's sugar and that makes cutting easier. Just keep dusting!